Parents’ heartbreak as ‘baby boy they had always wished for’ dies in their arms
A HEARTBROKEN couple has paid tribute to the “baby boy they had always wished for” after he died from a severe heart condition.
Little Théo-Ben Sigley was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) shortly before he was born in November 2022.
The birth defect occurs when one side of the heart is underdeveloped, which affects normal blood flow through the organ.
The youngster’s parents, who had feared they couldn’t fall pregnant, were overjoyed when they welcomed the youngster into the world.
But now, Talour Greenwood and her partner Ryan Sigley have had to say their goodbyes to him less than a year later.
Talour, 26, told Manchester Evening News: “I feel lost. I feel like a massive part of me has been taken.
“I’m not me without him by my side.”
Talour, from Tameside, Greater Manchester, found out she was expecting Théo-Ben early last year.
She said it “didn’t feel real” and she “cried so hard” because she had always wanted a baby she could “love and cherish for as long as possible”.
“I always dreamed of having my own little boy and then found out during the gender reveal I got my little best friend,” she added.
But at her 33-week scan, doctors revealed that her unborn child had HLHS.
“I broke down,” Talour said. “The first thing I said was: ‘Am I going to lose my son?’.
“Our world came tumbling down when the doctor said it was a 50:50 chance he would survive.”
Talour and Ryan, 28, who has two other sons, Archéy-Ryan and Freddéy-Aaron, from a previous relationship, were offered termination but declined.
“He was a fully grown baby – I couldn’t give up on him, I needed to give him a fighting chance,” Talour said.
Théo-Ben was born weeks later. He had his first open heart surgery at just four days old.
The tot then had two more procedures, which doctors and the family believed went well.
Talour said: “He looked pink in a really good way.
“He was steady and opened his eyes after a few days. It was the most amazing thing.”
I feel lost. I feel like a massive part of me has been taken.
Talour Greenwood
But aged 10 months, the couple were called into the hospital and told to “expect the worst”.
Théo-Ben’s blood pressure had lowered, his temperature had spiked, and his heart rate had soared; he was unlikely to make it.
“I ran out of the room, Ryan followed, and we broke together,” Talour said.
“We knew then there was no coming back from this, he was far too poorly.
“The doctors did everything they could for him but their backs were against the walls.
“His little body had given up. We knew he’d already gone – it was just a machine keeping him there.
“We took his brothers to say goodbye to him. It was absolutely devastating.”
Théo-Ben passed away in his parents’ arms on September 28.
Talour, who is raising money to pay for her son’s funeral on October 17, said: “Our little boy is free of the tubes, wires, medications and machines now.
“He can now go be that little boy he was meant to be from the start.
“All I can do is thank him for putting up the biggest fight he did over the last 10 months.
“We had the most amazing 10 months with him – the smiles, the giggles – it was out of this world. He was the most special boy.
“If cuddles and kisses could have kept him around, he would have lived forever.”
What is hypoplastic left heart syndrome?
HYPOPLASTIC left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a rare type of congenital heart disease, where the left side of the heart doesn’t develop properly and is too small.
This results in not enough oxygenated blood getting through to the body.
It most cases, it is caused by something going wrong during the very early stages of pregnancy.
Babies with HLHS may look normal immediately after birth, but they can become breathless and very ill if not treated quickly.
It’s not possible to correct the condition with surgery, but several operations can help sufferers have a better quality of life.
Some children survive with HLHS, others do not.
The longest survivors at present are in their late 20s.
Source: British Heart Foundation and NHS